1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of dishwashers and, more particularly, to drawer glide mounting assembly for a drawer-type dishwasher.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Manufacturers employ a variety of techniques to slidably support a drawer in a cabinet. In the art of dishwashers, manufacturers typically employ a multi-piece drawer glide. With this arrangement, a first or stationary piece of the drawer glide is affixed to the cabinet, while a second or sliding piece of the drawer glide is affixed to the drawer. A third or intermediate piece interconnects the first piece with the second piece allowing the drawer to fully extend relative to the cabinet.
During manufacture, the stationary piece is initially mounted to the cabinet and the sliding piece mounted to the drawer. Once fully secured, the drawer is then installed into the cabinet. While this method has proven effective, often times when securing the stationary piece, vertical tolerances accumulate. Thus, in order to ensure that the drawer operates smoothly, steps are generally taken to permit adjustments to at least the stationary pieces so that they not only extend parallel to one another but also lie in substantially the same plane. Typically, the adjustments are provided in structure utilized to secure the stationary pieces to the cabinet. That is, each stationary piece includes mounting apertures that are sized slightly larger than a corresponding mechanical fastener employed to mount the drawer glide. In this manner, each stationary piece can be shifted or repositioned in order to ensure that the drawer has a smooth transition between open and closed positions. Unfortunately, adjusting the glides adds time and complexity to the manufacturing process and, over time, often requires re-adjusting to ensure continued proper drawer operation.
Based on the above, despite the presence of drawer glides in the prior art, there still exists a need for a mounting arrangement for a drawer glide for a drawer-type dishwasher. More specifically, there exists a need for a drawer glide that requires little or no adjustment to accommodate any vertical tolerance accumulation.